Stay on target

If it isn’t obvious by now, we really like the Nintendo Switch here. After over a year on the market, the Switch has got a growing library of great games. And the nature of the hardware itself makes playing many of these games even more enjoyable. A system that works both as a handheld and home console lets you play anything from bite-size multiplayer games to deep open-world adventures with a thrilling sense of freedom.

But even on Nintendo Switch, some genres are just beyond saving. In its relatively short life the Switch has already amassed a fair amount of Dynasty Warriors (or “Musou” if you must) style games. But guess what, they’re still pretty bad.

This isn’t even like a controversial opinion. Dynasty Warriors has passionate defenders but plenty of gaming-savvy folks have been rightfully dunking on the Tecmo Koei franchise since 1997. And it’s easy to see why. These games are largely about mindlessly pressing buttons to hack and slash huge but dumb enemy hordes. Their fig leaf of strategy consists of clearing out enemy camps to shift the larger tide of battle in your favor… by repetitively hacking and slashing dumb enemies. And the only thing more repetitive than the gameplay is the release schedule. There’s a seemingly endless amount of interchangeable Dynasty Warriors games coming out constantly, recycling the same ideas and feudal Asian historical settings.

However, at some point the developers made the legitimately brilliant realization that some people might be more willing to accept the same tired Warriors gameplay yet again if it was wrapped up inside ridiculous fan service of their favorite anime-adjacent franchises. So while there are only a few games on Switch that technically fall under the Dynasty Warriors umbrella, that number starts to balloon when you include popular licensed games that are Dynasty Warriors in all but name only. One Piece: Pirate Warriors. Fate/Extella. Dragon Quest Heroes.

It’s cool how the strategic elements in this game go a little deeper, allowing you to individually direct characters in the real-time battlefield. And Fire Emblem Warriors looks nice, too. It’s like the pre-rendered cutscenes from Fire Emblem 3DS games but real. I hope the true Fire Emblem game on Switch coming this year(?) takes notice.

But beneath the surface-level positives is the same deeply dumb and grinding gameplay, perhaps even more repetitive since implementing the trademark Fire Emblem weapon triangle of effectiveness seemed to reduce the total number of distinct weapons. Meanwhile the increased emphasis on pandering anime fan service just highlights some of the worst traits of otherwise excellent modern successful Fire Emblem games.

I didn’t even have to finish Fire Emblem Warriors (but I did) to know its gameplay was basically going to be like this. I had already experienced that gameplay back in 2014 when I played my first Warriors game, the Zelda-themed Hyrule Warriors, on the Wii U. Soon this first deadly alliance between Nintendo and Musou will be the next Wii U game rescued by the Switch. It’ll even bring in all the exclusive content from the barely playable 3DS version.

Like Fire Emblem Warriors, it’s admirable how Hyrule Warriors attempts to integrate ideas from its parent series. Working your way across maps on a grid feels like a top-down Zelda adventure. Classic items like bombs and fairies solve puzzles and hurt enemies in the ways you’d expect. And if anything its ridiculous hard-rockin’ redesigns of classic characters along with the universe-hopping storyline pay way more attention to Zelda lore than any of the real games ever do. It’s For The Fans ™!

Clearly lots of people enjoy these Warriors games. Otherwise Tecmo Koei and its partners wouldn’t keep making them. And I totally admit there’s fun to be had in brainless repetitive junk video games. Just look at Destiny, the Western shooter equivalent to Japanese Musou swordplay action.

However, between Fire Emblem Warriors and now Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition, that’s two times now when Dynasty Warriors games have been treated as quality major marquee releases for Nintendo Switch. We need to learn the lesson these games still have not and stop repeating this pattern. That being said, I would absolutely play Wario Warriors.